City of Le Mans - "Coups de Pouce" Grants

Benefit

You will receive a grant of variable amount as well as practical and specialist support in implementing your own project. The amount depends on the type of project; a fixed sum is not published. The City of Le Mans (Ville du Mans) awards the grant through its Department for Children, Young People and Sport. It covers four types of project:

• Tremplin: Sports or cultural projects, such as organising an event or an exhibition, releasing a CD, a book or a comic, producing a short film, or staging dance, graffiti or theatre performances.
• Solidarité: local or international projects that help others, foster a sense of civic responsibility or bring people together.
• Voyage-découverte: Trips where you get to know other cultures and bring back texts, photos or videos from them.
• Vacances-loisirs: Holidays that you organise yourself, without adults, such as a trip to the seaside, a skiing holiday or a sightseeing trip.

In return, you’ll present your project to others, for example as part of an exhibition, a video or a talk at a school or at youth events.

Eligibility

• Age: You are between 16 and 25 years old.
• Where you live: You live in Le Mans or go to school there.
• Alone or in a group: You can apply on your own or with friends.
• Your own project: The project is your own. It is not part of your school curriculum, nor is it related to a profession or job-seeking. Nor is it being carried out by a club, a company or an organisation that has been in existence for more than a year.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply.

How to apply

First, contact a youth worker at the municipal youth centre (Pôle Jeunesse). Then submit your application at least one month before the project begins. A committee will assess it. If your project is approved, you will sign an agreement with the council.

If you want to explore further funding beyond the Ville du Mans grant, you'll find more options in our guide Scholarships in France.